Cleaning or moistening device



Vug. 20, 1935. Y* J, G, HOMAN y I 2,011,635

CLEANING OR MOISTENING DEVICE Filed Feb. 18, 19,32 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Aug. 20, 1935. J. G. HoMAN y 2,011,635

CLEANING 0E MoIsTENING DEVICE Filed Feb. 18, 1952 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Patented Aug. 2G, i935 Z,il,35

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oLEANrNG on MorsTENrNG Device John G. Homan, Steubenville, Ohio Application February 18, 1932,`Serial No. 593,784`

- 17 Claims. v(Cl. 15-123) This invention relates to an improvement in devices for applying liquid to a surface to be wetted. It is applicable, for instance, to the application of a solvent to a surface from which a grease spot or stain is to be removed or'for the application of water toan adhesive surface and various other uses where it is desired to wet a surface with a liquid by the use of a swab which is rubbed over the surface' to be wetted. It is particularly useful where the liquid is to be conserved, as for instance, where the liquid used is a cleaning fluid that is highly volatile and relatively expensive.Y

The invention contemplates the use of a swab device having a surface for applying the liquidto the article to be wetted, the surface conveniently comprising a suitable fabric. Within the swab device is a chamber for holding the uid and a membrane, which is only slightly pervious to the liquid, permits the gradual escape of iluid to the surface of the swab or the applicator. The invention further contemplates the provision of a reservoir connected with the swab or applicator in such manner that iiuid may be circulated from the reservoir into the applicator and back to the reservoir, the applicator being constructed with .a pump by means ofwhich the circulation is maintained. Moreover, fluid applied to the fab*- ric to be cleaned may, to some extent, be withdrawn from the fabric and forced back into the reservoir.

The invention may be readily understoodrby reference to the accompanying drawings in which Figure l shows the applicator and the reservoir connected together by means of rubber tubes, the vapplicator being shown in section and the reservoir being shown partly in section and partly in, elevation; Y

Figure 2 is a detail perspective View on a somewhat smaller scale showing the supporting plate for the reservoir; v

Figure 3 is a detail view showing in elevation the metal washer used for securingfthe membrane onto the body of the swab or applicator;

Figure 4 is a detail View of one of the check valves; Y

Figure 5 is a perspective view of a cover or container for the applicator; 1

Figure 6 is a viewsimilar to Figure V1 of a slightly modified and more commercially practical form of my device; and f Figure 'l is a vertical section through the swabloing device shown inv elevation in Figure 6. f

Referring to the drawings,rthe device shown comprises an applicator A and a reservoir B.

The applicator A comprises a body member 2 having a central knob 3 forming a handle, and having an annular depending ilange ll. Inside the body of the applicator is a chamber 5. Closing the chamber 5 is a membrane S which is slightly pervious to the fluid which is to be used in the device. As an example, if the device is used as a cleaning device and gasolene or other extremely light hydrocarbon is the cleaning fluid, the membrane 6 may comprise a soft leather. This membrane is secured in place by means of a Washer 'l which clamps the edge of the membrane tothe flange 4, the washer being held in place by va plurality of screws 8.

On the outer surface of the membrane or diaphragm 6 is a padding 9, and over this padding there is a cloth lll. The cloth l!) is suiiciently large that the edges of `it extend up around the iiange i. The flange i is provided with an annular groove da. An annular band, which is preferably resilient, extends around the flange l in the groove lla and serves to hold the cloth lil onto the body of the swab or applicator. I have shown this resilient band as being in the form of a coiled wire spring, but obviously it would be an ordinary 2 piece of cord or wire. This coiled wire spring is designated ll. vOne side of the groove 4a is abrupt, while the other side, designated 4b, is sloped downwardly. This enables the spring Il to be easily forced down and expanded when it is desired to remove the cloth i!) to replace it.

Within the body 5 is a coil spring l2, the lower end of which presses against the diaphragm 6 and the upper end of which bears against the inside of the top of the body 2. The function of the spring l2 is to resiliently urge the diaphragm 6 downwardly or outwardly so that the surface of the swab is normally convex as shown in Figure 1.

Opening into the chamber 5 through the body is a port i3 and beside it another port I4. These ports are preferably located in the knob portion 3. In the port or passage I3 is a tubulation uI5 having an outwardly closing check valve i6 therein. I have shown this check valve as comprising an ordinary spring operated ball check.

Set into the port or passage I4 is a somewhat similar tubular member l1 having an inwardly or downwardly opening check valve i8 of the same type. In Figure fi one of these tubular members VI! is shown in detail. The outer ends of the members l5 and l'l are preferably corrugated to retain a hose when the same is fitted over the corrugated end. A flexible tube I9 is .secured tothe tubular member l5 and a exible hose 2B is attached to the member Il, Certain 2 solvent resistant gray rubber hose has been found quite satisfactory for this purpose. e

The reservoir B conveniently comprises aglass jar l of the ordinary Mason or screW- cap type, this jar being designated 2l. It is provided `with a screw cap 22. A tube 23 passes through the top of this screw cap, and it is sealed in the cap to prevent the escape of fluid.v A longer tube 24. is similarly passed through v the cap and sealed against'the escapefof fluid. The tube 2li-is4 closer Vto the'zo'uter edge. ofthe capthanis the tube 23,

Vthe latter vbeing closer to the center ofthe cap.

There is a sheet metal plate 25 having an angle portion 2E secured to the top of the cap, which plateA 25 extends along the side of the jar' and provides a supporting surface by means of whichv the `iar can be laid on its side as shown in Figure 1 withoutl rolling. The plate 25 is'shown in detail in Figure 2. f y

For the purpose of illustration it mayk be assumed that the deviceA is to be used forapplying cleaning iiuid to fabrics to remove spots therefrom. The cleaning fluid is usuallya highly volatile hydrocarbon such as gasolene, natphthaor carbon tetrachloride. In the use of the device` for this purposathejar 2l is unscrewed from the cap 22 -and a .small quantity of the cleaning fluid is4 pouredV into the jar. VThe quantity of fluid should be such that when the ajar is laid" in the horizontal position, as shown in Figure 1, the end -of the long tube 2li willgbe immersed, while the vend of the short tube 23, will be above the liquid level. The amount of fluid should besuchithatv ywhen the jarZl is in the `horizontal position the,Y tube 24 will be immersed, but` when the jar 2l is.

in a vertical position the'end of the tube 2:3 will be above the level of the liquid in the jar. After the liquid has been placedfin the jar the cap 22 is screwed on tightly and the jar turned to the horizontal position as shown in Figure @1. y The `swab or applicator is then pressed up and'down on rthe surface tov bey cleaned. The movement of the diaphragm 6 in and out operates the check valves I6 land I8, causing liquid to be pumped into the chamber 5 andthe air expelledl therefrom into the y jar 2l. When .the liquid flows intofthe .chamber 5 some of it will slowly permeate the diaphragm l 6 and saturate the pad 9 and the cloth lilwith the cleaning uid. Y Y

As the.applicator is rubbed back and forth over the ksurface to bev cleaned,` it is naturally pressed against theisurface and then lifted away. This causes thel pumping action tobe continued, but

the excess iiuid ispumped back into/the jar 2i through the tube |79 so that there is no considerable fluidpressure built up inside the chamber at any time, although the slight vpressurewiriich is Vcreated in the chamber?? vwhen the diaphragm 6 is tube is above the liquid. level in the jar, no fur- Y ther iiuid lwill flow into :the chamber 5 until ythe .'jaris again turned on its'sidey Y r Y i By'reason of this arrangement the surface of the applicator is always kept sufficiently Amoist tovservethe'purpose for whichy it is requiredabut it is not too moist at any time; The excess liquid supplied to the applicator is pumped back into the reservoir. The system is practically a closed system and very little waste occurs by reason of the volatilization of the fluid by reasoneof circulation of air through the device itself, y

Withfthe diaphragm 6 ofY the proper permeability, the pad 9 and cloth IB can be kept at the proper point of saturation without there being an excess of fluid dripping therefrom and if the diaphragm is not of the proper permeability the pad andcloth can be kept somewhat near the proper degree ofsaturation by setting the jar in a vertical position after a sufficient amount of uid has been applied to theswab, pumping the excess back into the jar, and then turning the jar back fwhen additional liquid is required. The device l serves to conserve the cleaning fluid because it is possible to keep the applicator moistto the extent requiredyvhich further conserves the cleaning fluid because it reduces evaporation losses and because the excess nuid ,from the. applicator can be pumped back into theA reservoir. 'The device can be constructed very cheaply and can be made in sizes suitable for the'use to which the device'is to be put. f Y

While I have described'the device particularly f for applyingcleaning fluid `to garments or the like,.it,can be adapted to various scrubbing devices, moistening devices and the like.

rIn order to further reduce evaporation losses Y the invention contemplates the provision of a receptacle, such" as the receptacle 2 in Figure 5 into which the applicator A may .fit tightlyv when the device is not being used, both to reduce evaporation losses and to keep the applicator clean, 'and also reducethe fire hazard where the device is being used with inammable solvents.

In the modification shown in Figures 6 and 7, the same general principle is employed. In this view the swab device comprises a body Se to the open lower end of which is secured a diaphragm 3l. The diaphragm 3i, instead of being permeable over its entire area to the cleaning fluid, has a central orifice at 32, and a'small metal cup 33 is riveted .t'othe center of the diaphragm by means of the eyelet Ydesignated 34. The opening rthrough the eyelet atthe center of the diaphragm vprovides for vthe, passage of fluid from the cham- ,'ber'inside the swab to the outer surface of the swab. "In order that the fluidmay not flow too freely through this opening, I place within the cup y33 one or more washers, preferably several of them. V'Ihese 'washers are preferably of a fibrous material, more especially leather. 'Ihey are retained in place by means of a compression spring 38 one end of which seats in the cup on top of the washers and the otherV end of which vseats in a central cavity'in the 'body 3Q. This vspring tends to resiliently urge the diaphragm outwardly. Covering the diaphragm is a removable cloth 39 which is held in rplace similar to the cloth I0 described in Figure l.`

The circulation of fluid intorth'e chamber is established, by means'oftubes iii and M.. These tubes are connected tovflexible hose i2 and 3,

respectively. As shown in Figure 6, the Yrubber the circulation of the uid may conveniently be placed in the tubes il and 48 as indicated, Vinstead of being in the tubes passing through the swab as shown in Figure 1. The location of the check valves of course is merely a matter or election.

- The operation of the device is the same as that vof the device shown in Figure 1. The movement of the cleaning surface under Varying pressure in and out generates `a pumping action which establishes the circulation of fluid -irom the ,reservoir to the swab and back to the reservoir, some of the fluid escaping through the diaphragm to Wetthe cleaning surface of the swab.` The provision of the washers 35 enables the flow of iiuid through the oriice Sli-to be regulated, a greater number oi washers allowing a greater filtration oi* fluid than a single washer.l Itis of course also necessary that the washers provide-for a restricted passageway that an effective pumping action can be created, as too free a passage would Venable the air to be sucked in and out througir the opening s pumping action. l

It will be seen that in either form of the device there is a diaphragm or membrane which is only slightly pervious to the passage of iiuid therethrough, the diaphragm n'Figure 5 being perforated vatone point, whereas the diaphragm in Figure l is permeable over its entire surface but to a-limited extent.

lt will be observed, moreover, that some of without generating the y desired the liiuid applied to the fabric being cleaned may be sucked or pumped out of the fabric back to the reservoir. This is evidenced-by the Atact that after a cleaning solvent has been used for a time itrwill be discolored. The device therefore "only applies the solvent to loosen or spread -grease, but actually eiects the removal oi some crit.

The pumping action herein described tends to build up an air pressure in the uid reservoir. This can be overcome, where it is not desired, by venting the cap in a suitable way, as'for :'nstance by slightly unscrewing'the cap i5 of Figure 6 during the operation of the device or by Y providing a small hole in the cap as shown in Figure 1. Y Y l Y While I have shown and described a particular embodiment of my invention, it will be understood that various changes and modifications may be 'made in the construction and arrangement of the various parts Within the contemplation of my invention and under the scope of the following claims.V

I claim: p

i. A device of the class described comprising an applicator having an absorbent surface, a VAreservoir, and a pump means for electing a circulation of nuid between the applicator and the reservoir, said pump means being arranged to be actuated by pressures on the absorbent surface of the applicator.

2. A device or" the class described comprising an applicator having an absorbent surface thereon, a reservoir, means for connecting the applicator with the reservoir for supplying liquid to the applicator, means connecting the applicator with the reservoir through which excess fluid can be returned to the reservoir, and pump means n forming part of the applicator for effecting a circulation` of fluid from the reservoir to the applicator and back to the reservoir.

3. A device of the class described comprising 'an applicator having an absorbent surface thereon, a reservoir, means for connecting the appli- -l cator withthe reservoir for supplying liquid to the applicator, means connecting the applicator with the reservoir through which excess liuid can A be returned to the reservoir, said means including L passageways between the reservoir and applicator having oppositely acting check valves therein,

and means associated with the applicator for effecting the flow of liquid, said means comprising a member resiliently urged against the absorbent surface of the applicator whereby it is pressed in .when pressure is put on the applicator and is plicator, means connecting the applicator with the reservoir through which excess iluid can be vreturned to the reservoir, said means including two separate passageways between the reservoir and the applicator, each having a check valve therein, the check valves being oppositely acting and means associated with the applicator for effecting the now of liquid to and from the applicator, said means comprising a member resiliently urged against the absorbent surface of the applicator whereby it is pressed in when pressure is put on the applicator and is moved out when pressure against the applica-tor is relieved, said member comprising a diaphragm under the absorbent surface ofthe applicator and slightly pervious to the liquid used.

5. A device oi' the class described comprising an applicator having a body with a chamber therediaphragm closing the chamber, an absorbent material over the diaphragm, a spring in the chamber for urging the diaphragm outwardly, a

iiuid supply passage opening into the chamber, a

fluid outlet'passage leading out of the chamber,

`and oppositely acting check valves in said pasvchamber for urging the diaphragm outwardly, a iiuid supply passage opening into the chamber, a

uid outlet passage leading out of the chamber,`

oppositely acting check valves in said passages, and a reservoir with which both the said passages communicate, said diaphragm being slightly pera fluid-receiving chamber therein, of a reservoir comprising a container adapted to setin either a vertical or a horizontal position and having two tube members entering the container, one being a long member and the other being a short member, the long member being so positioned that it is immersed whenthe container is in a horizontal position and out oi the iiuid when the container is in a vertical position, the short Itube member being positioned to be out of the liquid when the container is in either of said two positions, conduits separately connecting the two tubes with the applicator, and pump means in the applicator for circulating fluid between the reservoir and the applicator.

8. An applicator of the class described comprising a hollow body, a flexible diaphragm secured to the body serving to provide a closed chamber within the body, said diaphragm being slightly 4" pervious to the flow offfliquids therethrough, a

spring within the chamber for pressing they Vdiaphragm outwardly, and meansfor 'supplying fluid to the' chamber.

9. An applicator of thevclass .described comprising a cup-like body, a flexible diaphragm secured to the bodyk serving to provide a closed chamber within the body, said diaphragm being slightly. pervious to the flow of liquids therethrough, a

spring within the chamber for pressing the `diaphragm outwardly, and an absorbent material held in place over the outside of the diaphragm.v

10. An applicator of the class described comprising a hollow bodypa exible diaphragm se-` cured on,the bodyserving to provide a closed chamber within thebody, said diaphragmbeing slightly` pervious. to the flow of liquids therethrough, a spring within the chamber for pressing ythe diaphragm outwardly, an absorbent material held in place over the outside ofthe diaphragm,-

' kan intake port 'inthe body having an inwardly .niunicatev l opening check valve, an outlet passage in the body having an outwardly opening check valve, exible tubes through which fluid is supplied to the inlet port-and discharged from the outlet passage, anda common reservoir to which saidtubes connect.

` 11,An applicatorof the class described comprising body having an annular flange thereon,V

a flexible diaphragm secured tothe flange on the body serving tofprovide a closed chamber within ,the body, said diaphragm; being slightly pervious to the flow of-liquids therethrough, a spring within the chamber for pressing the diaphragm outwardly, an absorbent material held in place'over the outside Vof' the diaphragm, an intake port in the body having an` inwardly opening check Valve, anV outlet passage in the body having an outwardly opening check valveflexible tubes through f Ywhich fluid is supplied to the inlet port and vdischarged from the-outlet passage, and a commonY lreservoir to vwhich said tubes connect, said common reservoir comprising a' container having av long tube Aentering it adapted to be immersed-in liquidr Vin the 'reservoir and whichisconnected with the fluid supply tubel and having a shorter outlet tube which is positionedk to remain above` the liquid level -in the reservoir and which is', connected to theoutlet'tubefrom the applicator. l

l2. Adeviceof the class described comprising an applicator having a body with a chamber therein, a diaphragm closing the chambensaid diaphragmy having anopening therethrough, a washer within the vapplicator slightly permeable tothe flow of iiuid therethrough and positioned `over the Yopening in the diaphragm,- a yspring in the chamber for urging the diaphragm outwardkly, a uid supply passage openinginto the chamber and a fluid outlet'passage leading out of the rchambencsaid passage-having valves therein, and

a reservoir with which both said passages com- 13. A device of the class described comprising Van applicator having' a body'lwith a-chamber therein, a diaphragm closing theichamber, said diaphragm having an openingtherethrough, a washer within the'applicator slightly permeable to the flowV of uid therethrough and positioned over the opening, a spring. in the chamber for urging the diaphragm outwardly, a fluid supply rpassage opening intofthe chamber and a iiuid outlet passage leading out of the chamber, said V,passage having valves therein, and areservoir .with which both Vsaid passages communicate, said springbearing against the washer Afor retaining it in place. Y 1.4. A devicey of the classdescribed comprising a` body having aV chamber therein, a diaphragm closing the chamber having an opening therein ,providing auid passage through the diaphragm,

and means within the chamberfor restricting the fluid passage, said means` comprising a cup with .an opening registering with the opening in the diaphragm and havingua pluralitypf superimk posed washers therein, and a springin'thechamber having one end thereof bearing against the washers in the cup.

l5. A deviceof the class described comprising a body having a ychamber therein, yadiaphragm closing the chamber having an Qpening therein providing a fluid passage through the diaphragm,.

means within the chamber for restricting the fluid passage through the diaphragm comprising a'cup having means therein slightly permeableto ,the passage or" fluid therethrough,-the cup being carried on the diaphragm and having an openingin the bottom thereof registering withV the onejin` Ya pair ofv flexible tubes connected to said inlet andl outlet,'andf a reservoir comprising a liquid container adapted to set in either of two positions and having twoV ducts leading from' the outside of saidcohtainer to the linsidevand to whose vouter ends the tubes are connected, the inner end of the, duct connected to the inlet `of thev Y applicator being so positioned that it is immersed when'the container is in one of the two positions kand out of the rliquid when thecontainer is in the other position.

17. A device of the class described comprising a body having a chamber therein, adiaphragm enclosing the chamber, said diaphragmfhaving an opening therein to permit of a restricted iiow of uid therethrough, ak holder secured to the diaphragm inside the chamber and movable with the diaphragm relatively to the body, asemipermeable ,element in the holder forcontrolling the escape of -iluid through the openingY in the diaphragm, and means in the body through which fluid may be supplied to the chamber. f

JOI-IN G. 

